Propriety
by cerieblue819
Summary: Link is summoned to the castle after the events of Twilight Princess so that Princess Zelda can give him a proper Royal thanks. One shot.


Link was surprised when Zelda called him to the castle a few months after Ganon was defeated. It wasn't often that the princess summoned commoners like himself and it wasn't like it was a feast day or a festival. Really, there was no reason for her to call for him unless it was personal. Still, a royal invitation wasn't something that a boy from Ordon declined and the entire village was excited about his trip.

Fado had let him out of work at the ranch that day, figuring a royal invitation meant that Link should look his absolute best. Link didn't think it was that big of a deal, not after riding alongside the princess in the final battle with Ganondorf, her lithe body pressed against his as she shot arrow after arrow into the evil king. He figured that Zelda knew who he was and what he was about and there was no need to impress her. Link, however, wasn't very educated on the ways and workings of court.

He'd decided (well, Rusl's wife had insisted) that he'd wear the green hero's tunic given to him by the light spirit Ordona. It was much nicer than his ranch clothes and apparently princesses put a lot of stock in that. He, again, didn't much care but it was not really a hardship to dress up a little. It put a smile on the faces of the villagers, seeing their hero head off to the castle in order to meet with the princess while wearing his finest. Link liked making people happy, doing things to protect the land he loved: it was just his nature.

The ride was easy across the land of Hyrule, Link making good time and only stopping a handful of times to give Epona a little break. When he arrived at the castle town, he boarded her in a local stable, giving her a good rubdown and promising to return soon. Of course, the rubdown left him a little dirty, but it was nothing that a little straightening couldn't take care of. Epona settled, he made his way up to the castle.

The guards gave him suspicious looks until he presented the letter from Zelda. They still stared, but let him through, surprised at the farm boy who was getting a private audience with the princess. He knelt as he reached the carpet that led to her throne, tipping his head and sweeping his hat off until she indicated that he could rise. She waved him over with a delicate hand, indicating that she should follow him to a small chamber off the main court.

Once inside the room, Zelda called for a tea service and poured the both of them cups. Link wanted to decline, not much for tea, but he accepted it anyway, sipping lightly at it. Rusl's wife would be so proud of him. Tea taken care of, the constant flurry of knights, guards and servants ebbed and it was merely Zelda and himself, the princess stalling for time by pulling off her ornate gloves.

"I wanted to thank you," she said quietly, placing her teacup back on the saucer and gazing at him with surprisingly-shy eyes. Link figured that part of the princess job description was maintaining a personality that was anything but shy. Dealing with people day in and day out had to desensitize her to them and it wasn't like she had regents or other advisors to do it for her: she was praised for having a hands-on technique to ruling Hyrule. So why was she shy?

"When I surrendered and did nothing to save my people, you risked everything you had in order to do so. That sort of bravery and courage is something that I lacked despite my apparent wisdom. I simply cannot thank you enough." Zelda dropped her eyes, examining the leaves left in the bottom of her teacup as if she could divine something from them.

"It's really not a problem, your highness," Link said, finishing his tea and placing the cup on the small table between them. Zelda promptly picked up the cup and settled it on its corresponding saucer, blushing a little.

"Place for everything," she said. "It was bothering me. Why are you so nonchalant about my gratitude? One would think that a royal thank you would be more highly regarded," she said, folding her hands in her lap. Link laughed a little.

"Are you suggesting I should be awed, your highness? We rode together in battle and you were just as important as I was at that time. I couldn't have slayed Ganon without your help and I'm grateful, but it's not the kind of gratitude that requires ceremony and show. In Ordon, we show our thanks through action and not words." Link paused and poured Zelda another cup of tea to which she murmured a soft "thank you."

"See? Easy enough. Gratitude between two friends, two _equals_ isn't a cause for show. Riding next to me in battle made us equals, no matter what roles we went back to after the battle was done. Don't you feel that connection to me, your highness? The kinship that comes from swinging a sword together or nocking a bow next to your partner?"

Zelda nodded, blushing a little. She had felt that Link was her equal and well, probably her superior during battle. Had she gotten so focused on class that she couldn't relate to her subjects any longer? She certainly hoped not. She had always prided herself on maintaining that connection to even the commonest of commoners and thought that if she were to slip on plainclothes that she would blend right in. However, in Link's eyes, it seemed that she wouldn't.

"I am sorry to have offended you," she said regally and Link grinned, eyes sparkling.

"You're doing it again, your highness. You always get so formal around me. You weren't formal when we rode together and there's no reason for it now. Unless...you wouldn't happen to be using it to protect yourself, would you?" Zelda gave him a puzzled look and Link decided to clarify.

"I'm usually quiet," he started, leaning back on the couch he'd chosen to sit on. "And that's an advantage. Being quiet means that you watch people, see what they're about. I don't claim to be particularly good with people, your highness, but I do know how to read them. With everyone else in court, you're fairly warm–asking about new babies and skinned knees. You're formal when it calls for it, but with your close friends and your servants, you're warm and friendly."

Link smirked. "With me, however, I cannot help but notice that you go all stiff and formal like I was some foreign dignitary. And, well, there's really only one reason for that. You're afraid I'll see who you really are, deep down. Don't worry about it, your highness. I'm just a ranch hand. I probably won't care if you show me."

Zelda froze, hand tightly gripping her teacup. She opened and closed her mouth a handful of times before putting it down, trying to compose herself. After a few moments of fiddling with her hair and fidgeting with her hands, she finally spoke.

"I hardly think it is the place of a ranch hand from Ordon to wax philosophical on my personal motives. I remind you that I am your princess," she said stiffly, almost glaring at him if glaring was in fact an acceptable thing for a princess to do.

"Besides, everyone sings your praises. All of the villagers think you are polite and well-mannered, if a bit rough from working with the animals. Animals adore you. Weapons mold to your hand like lovers. Forgive me if I am not so easily impressed. I have always been a disagreeable sort." she said, trying to maintain composure. Link, for his part, looked surprised.

"I really meant no offense, your highness. I thought perhaps to build a friendly rapport with you. Will you accept my apology?" he asked, taking one of her hands gently in both of his. Zelda blushed hotly: it wasn't often that someone touched her so intimately, even if it was just her hand captured between his.

"I have the highest regard for your position as princess," he said, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss it. "I think you do an excellent job ruling us and I am proud to serve you in any way. But, the thing I am proudest of is the fact that I fought alongside you as an equal for once and that you depended upon me as much as I depended upon you. I thought that afforded me the luxury of your friendship. I was apparently overstepping my bounds."

Zelda smiled a little, pulling her hand away and settling it into her lap. She was a little more rattled on the inside than she had been before, but she tried not to let it show on her face or in her body language.

"You are right, of course," she said quietly. "I should have treated you as one of my intimate friends and not some...well, however I have treated you. I was proud to ride beside you. I am proud to have you as...well, as a friend, if you would have me as such. I just...my feelings are complicated," she said, looking down and pressing her lips together.

"I feel something for you, something deeper than I have ever felt before. I must confess it frightens me," she said, chancing a small smile. "I am sure it is friendship, but it might be more. I thought...well, I thought it best for Hyrule that I remain unmarried and focused on ruling and doing the best I could. Love might be a distraction."

Link smiled at her. "I hardly think it's love so quickly, your highness. However, I feel something for you too. Have you ever heard of just taking things as they come?" he said, laughing a little. "Not everything is so dramatic. We could meet occasionally, see where things go. Maybe I'll become your closest friend. Maybe I'll become something more. The only way to find out is to try."

"You have an open invitation," she said, grasping his hand. "If anyone asks, it is because of my gratitude for all you have done for Hyrule. I hardly think that the court needs to know the details of my intimate relationships," she said, smiling at him.

Link raised a brow. "I look forward to the day that we have intimate details to conceal," he said quietly, raising her hand to his lips again and kissing her softly. He bowed a little and took his leave, leaving a blushing and stunned princess behind.


End file.
